IFPAC 2012 Conference Preview

The 26th International Forum and Exhibition Process Analytical Technology (Process Analysis and Control) (IFPAC) conference will be held January 22–25, 2012 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (Baltimore, Maryland). For more than 25 years, the conference has discussed trends in technology, standards, and controls with industry, academic, and government experts. IFPAC attendees come to learn more about how they can boost productivity, streamline implementation processes, enhance operational efficiency, and maximize their resources. Just like past years’ events, this year’s conference will bring in speakers from various regulatory agencies and associations, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education (NIPTE), and the Center for Process Analysis and Control (CPAC), as well as from leading universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Duquesne, Rutgers, and the University of Washington; and from chemical, petrochemical, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical corporations.

Opening Plenary Features FDA’s Janet Woodcock and Quality by Design

Leading off this year’s plenary session will start with Janet Woodcock, M.D., Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The session will also feature an update on quality by design (QbD) and process analytical technology (PAT) from the European Medicines Agency; a presentation from the senior vice president of global science technology and commercialization of Merck’s Manufacturing Division (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey); a presentation from the director of marketing for environmental and industrial segments (instruments) at PerkinElmer (Waltham, Massachusetts); and more.

Program Overview

IFPAC-2012 will feature comprehensive tracks in spectroscopy and chemical imaging within specific industry segments, such as chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, bioprocessing, and food. The conference will cover the latest information on advanced instrumental concepts for process analysis, new sensor technology, manufacturing — improved measurements in the control scheme, control strategies, process Raman, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, process communications, particle characterization or analysis — ultrasound spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and data management.

Other topics include: bioprocessing, bioreactors, PAT applied for biologics manufacturing, real-time release, continuous manufacturing, risk management, pharmaceutical product performance, process control, sampling, separations, life-cycle management of analyzer and method reliability, and screening and surveillance. In addition, there will be involvement by the International Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development.

IFPAC also is offering a preconference workshop titled “Implementation of Quality Systems — (Emphasizing NIR)” on Sunday afternoon, January 22.

Program Highlights

Several sessions related to spectroscopic instrumentation, techniques, case studies, and data management will be at IFPAC-2012. Following the Plenary session on Monday morning, attendees will have several sessions to choose from:

• Monday Afternoon - Raman, Advanced Instrument Concepts, and more

• Tuesday Morning – Chemical Imaging, Chemometrics I, Advanced Separations, and more

• Tuesday Afternoon – Imaging II, Chemometrics II, Advanced Separations/Mass Spec, and more

• Wednesday Morning - Screening & Surveillance/Handheld Instrumentation (including Spectrometers), Particle Characterization, Tools & Case Studies for Process Understanding and Control, Life Cycle Management and Analyzer Reliability, and more

• Wednesday Afternoon – Process Communications, Process Analysis/Spectroscopy, Real-Time Light Induced Fluorescence (LIF), Bridging the Quality Gap between Benchtop and Field Instruments, and more

Special Symposium on Food Safety

IFPAC also will have a food quality, safety, and analysis symposium underway covering PAT applications in the food industry. Session topics will include:

• Food Safety in the Context of Growing Imports — The United States imports a growing proportion of its food supply, and this trend globalizes the problem of ensuring food safety for the American people. Border controls are not sufficient, and the burden is shared with importers and foreign suppliers to provide data demonstrating food safety. This session will focus on the global context of food safety and the barriers to the harmonization of analytical methods that are being addressed to ensure safe foods.

• PAT for the Dairy Industry — Application techniques and case studies including the Fonterra Advanced Process Control (APC) program benefits of implementing PAT in infant formula manufacturing, challenges to implementing PAT in cheese manufacturing and more.

• Emerging Technologies with Focus on Traceability and Contamination — Recent advances and developments in analytical methods for traceability and detection of contaminants in foods and food ingredients.

• PAT as a Quality Control Tool — This session will include discussions on process analytical technologies capable of providing quality control during food manufacturing, including the potential of PAT to support food regulation strategies. The business merits and strategies of PAT adoption will be addressed.

Other New Sessions at IFPAC 2012

Process Communications — This session will cover the implementation of spectroscopy techniques and case studies of how process communications can be used from methodologies to data management including OPC techniques, through to implementation. Speakers include representatives from Siemens, Honeywell International Inc, ABB Measurement Products, Merck, and Symbion Systems, Inc.

Bridging the Quality Gap between Benchtop and Field Instruments — This session will discuss the present state of instruments using light-based, nondestructive, optical detection. Existing quality practices, calibration techniques, and standards for more conventional instruments will be compared to those for less developed instruments, for instance, comparing benchtop and field instrument applications. Can conventional quality practices be applied to less mature instrumentation and methods, and, if so, how and to what extent? The answers to these and other related questions will be addressed. This will be a bridge session with the parallel OnSite Analysis Conference.

Real-Time Light Induced Fluorescence (LIF) — Presentations to include “Intro to Light Induced Fluorescence and Solid Phase Analysis” (Center For Pharmaceutical Physics); “Fluorescence Microscopy” (GSK); “Low Dose Direct Compression Endpoint Detection” (Natoli Engineering); “Process Effects on Fluorescence Analysis” (Campbell University); “Risk Considerations and the Future of LIF within the Pharmaceutical Industry” (GSK); “LIF Applications in the Petrochemical Sectors” (Teledyne Analytical Instruments); and “Blending Case Studies” (Expo Technologies).

Poster Sessions

Posters will be presented with opportunities for one-on-one discussions and networking. Sample poster titles include “Comparison of Different Probe Arrangements for Inline NIR Measurements During Fluid Bed Granulation” ; “On-line Moisture Monitoring of the Fluidized Bed Granulation Process by using High-speed and Highly Sensitive Near Infrared Spectrometer”; “In-Process Analysis of Moisture in a Fluid Bed Dryer with Near-Infrared Spectroscopy”; “Multivariate Chemometric Analysis of Heparin Samples Containing Impurities and Contaminants using Near Infrared Spectral Data”; “Creating Multivariate Calibrations for Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry Using Partial Least Squares Regression”; and more.

With more than 20 topics covering all industry segments, IFPAC provides an opportunity to interact with industries that have been using process analysis and control for nearly 60 years.

IFPAC-2012 Exhibition

Monday, January 23: 2:00–7:00 p.m.

Grand Opening: 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 24: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 25: 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.

Exhibitors at this year’s event include:

• ABB Analytical Measurement
• Agilent Technologies
• American Pharmaceutical Review
• Applied Instrument Technologies (AIT)
• Automation.com
• ASTM
• BaySpec, Inc.
• BioPharm International
• BUCHI Corporation
• Canty
• CDS Analytical
• CIRCOR Technologies
• COBALT Light Systems
• CPAC, Center for Process Analytical Chemistry
• CPACT
• DASGIP Biotools
• Duquesne University/SPCTECH
• DURASENS
• Eisai Machinery, U.S.A., Inc.
• Emerson Process Management/Rosemount Analytical
• Enwave Optronics, Inc.
• European Pharmaceutical Review
• Extrel CMS
• 4TUNE Engineering, Ltd.
• FOSS NIRSystems, Inc.
• FTRX LLC
• Hamilton Company
• IFPAC
• ISPE
• Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc.
• LCGC North America
• Nova Biomedical
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• PharmaQbD.com
• Real-Time Analyzers, Inc.
• Rimbach
• Rosemount Analytical
• RURO, Inc.
• Siemens Industry, Inc.
• Spectroscopy
• StatSoft, Inc.
• Stratophase, Ltd.
• Swagelok Co., LLC.
• Thermo Scientific
• Thermo Scientific-Scientific Instruments
• Uhlmann VisioTech GmbH
• Umetrics
• Waters Corporation

It's an opportunity to see and be seen by old and new colleagues and customers. Any companies interested in exhibiting at IFPAC-2012 are invited to contact conference management as soon as possible.

Registration Information

This event is being held January 22–25, 2012 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, located within Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

Local and all-inclusive registration is available at the conference website: www.ifpacpat.org.

For more information contact: (847) 543-6800; info@ifpacnet.org; or visit www.ifpacpat.org.